Audio coaching start-up raises £2m in seed funding

A new fitness start-up has raised £2m in funding from investors which include former Spotify CMO Sophia Bendz.

Founded in 2018, Eastnine will soon launch its fitness app, which provides audio coaching for new and experienced runners.

The app will record user’s race times and encourage them to race against existing records for the same session.

Launching in beta for iOS, its app is initially focusing on running, blending professional coaching sessions delivered via audio with more innovative social features.

The investment secured by the start-up will be used to build out Eastnine’s engineering and content creation departments.

The seed round announced was led by VCs LocalGlobe and Cherry Ventures, and also included angel investors founder of Skype and Atomico Niklas Zennström, former Spotify CMO Sophia Bendz and Ilkka Paananen, founder of Supercell.

Audio coaching is provided by a range of coaches including Leo savage, Former Harlequins pro rugby player, expert coach and seasoned writer on conditioning and nutrition, and Cat Forrest, former international high jumper and level 2 athletics coach, host and co-founder of Eastnine.

While the app is being trialled the app will be free-to-use, with a ‘freemium’ and monthly subscription model to be introduced after the app is officially launched.

Also raising funds in the health space is London-based TrackActive.

The platform, which offers injury rehabilitation optimization, has raised £300K in funding led by HR TECH Partnership.